Murdr by far, has the best grasp on what is going on. No one will care what I have to say, since I'm consistently vocal about this subject, and have been deemed a "whiner" by many of you. I've been teetering on the edge of pulling my subscription for about 6 to 8 months now, and many would no doubt be happy about that, although not the people I fly with.
I've been around versions of this game since the original AW. I've always had fun, flying and dying. That is, up until the past year or so. For those of you that say there hasn't been a change in the gameplay, I'm sorry you weren't here for the days when it really was different.
You didn't know the days when swirling dogfights started at 15K and people paired up and danced all the way down to the deck. The fights ended, alot of times, when someone got heavily damaged, not killed, and leveled off. You let him go and he saluted you, you both laughed about the fun you just had. Kills weren't the end all, be all to the game. Vulching used to be non-existent due to the heavily involved policing by the player base. Unless a field was actively being captured, 5 or 6 vets would jump on and berate the one noob that buzzed over a field to vulch people, and countrymen would offer assistance to help "train" the person. I can't be the only one that remembers this. When "Knock it off, 190 at A14, out of fuel" over common channel ended the fight. You try that these days, 10 guys will pile on you. You used run into guys limping back to base, pouring smoke, and 15 or 20 enemies would just let him limp it home. That attitude is long lost in this incarnation of AH. It's all about the name in lights at the end of the flight.
Nowadays, I find one of these things happening.
I up singly, and cruise around looking for a fight....sit over a field waiting.... and nothing. Single con over a field, nobody ups. Snooze. Fly back home.
I up again, closer to active fights.... and I'm dodging guys with 10K+ advantages dropping in threes and fives on me. If I happen to actually get to the "front" and try to peel guys out for a fight on the fringe 1v1, as soon as I get into the 600 range, I have 6 "friendlies" zipping in with 150+ mph advantages, even when I'm calling them off. By a miracle, should I find a good one on one, 95% end in one of two ways:
I get in firing position....He drops the nose of his P51 (the new official flower of AH) and is gone.
I find someone who wants to fight.... have a good fight started, only his countrymen pick, even with him calling them off.
The other 5% end with one of us shooting the other down. (Successful flight in my estimation)
I was actually surprised to the point of tears, flying the other night with a group of old vets that did follow that old code. Asked if you needed help. Pushed for a good one on one. Called sixes. If a friendly was within 800 to 1000 of a con, it was his. It's been a long time since I saw that. It gives this game a slim chance at hope.
More than likely I will be one of the old guard gone, thoughl. The reason is illustrated by my foray yesterday. Up at a base with 3 cons in radar with three just outside. Get to about 8K in a Ki84, to have a P51, Typhoon, and Spit16 all come in at around 19K. All dive on me at once. I last about three turns, the 51 ends up face shooting me.
I up again, by now all cons are over the base. I get vulched. Twice. By a guy with 155 victories in 24 sorties (geez wonder how he gets em). Six guys hanging over a field, not trying to take it, just padding scores. When I say something over 200, said pilot gets indignant, saying "You shouldn't up from a capped field jack---". I agree. I log off. There is no fun in that game, for either participant in my estimation.
